Formation, function, and regeneration of corticospinal circuits underlying skilled movements

We are interested in understanding the neural circuits underlying motor behaviors in mammals. The motor neuron activity integral to these neural circuits is regulated by synaptic inputs from three main pathways: local interneuron circuits, proprioceptive sensory feedback, and descending fibers from the brain, including the corticospinal (CS) tract. In this presentation, I will particularly focus on CS circuits. CS neurons control motor neuron activity for skilled movements such as reaching and grasping. I will talk about how CS circuits are formed during development, how it is reorganized, and how it could be repaired after spinal cord injury.

Featured Researchers

Yutaka Yoshida, Ph.D.

Lab Director

Laboratory for Neural Connectivity Development in Physiology and Disease

Professor

Weill Cornell Medicine